Scientology Attempts Some Damage Control With New Statement About Going Clear

The Church of Scientology has a bad reputation of attacking, or suing, anyone who tries to expose the organization’s secret practices. In the wake of Going Clear’s release, Scientology has now gone on the offensive, reported TruthDig.

Going Clear shows former members and high-ranking officials from the organization accusing Scientology of engaging in slave labor practices, breaking apart families and friends, using a prison camp, and they accuse leader David Miscavige of physical abuse against members.

Those involved with the film have been receiving threats of physical harm and financial ruin from the organization since Going Clear was first featured at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Director Alex Gibney also said that those in the film have been “followed by private eyes and surveilled.”

The organization recently released a statement to The Wrap regarding their alleged threats. The language is aggressive and combative:

Alex Gibney is proving to be exactly like the sources in his film–no accusation is too irresponsible to make. It doesn’t matter if he lacks corroboration and proof, it’s all about promoting his movie.

Each and every one of the allegations in your questions is absolutely false and rejected. Alex Gibney is getting desperate and is now resorting to ludicrous, made-up claims. The Wrap should ask him for his proof.

First, there has not been one physical or financial threat of harm from the Church to anyone. These are more lies from the same admitted liars who Gibney glorifies in his film.

Second, I have in my hands court records where Monique Rathbun [wife of ex-high ranking Scientologist Mark “Marty” Rathbun] stated under oath that she has no idea who sent those items to her at her office. She also conceded she had no evidence and had made the allegations against the Church without specific or direct evidence. In other words, court records contradict the accusation Alex Gibney made, which is exactly what he did during the entire making of this film – ignore facts and court records. There are countless more examples if you are interested.

Finally, as for [former member] Spanky Taylor the Church has not made one threat against her. Again that is made-up garbage.

What the Church has done is issued the truth on these individuals to counter-act [sic] their lies. You can see them here:

Because Alex Gibney ran from any facts that got in the way of his preconceived story line and ignored all our efforts to communicate (over 40 letters and 25 people who requested to meet with Mr. Gibney), we have compiled the unvarnished truth in the form of video footage, court documents, publicly available records and testimonials by pertinent individuals and parishioners worldwide who do represent Scientology, and were intentionally ignored by Mr. Gibney and HBO. All of it 100% accurate. Alex Gibney spins this as “smears.” We call it the truth he ignored. These you can see at http://www.freedommag.org/hbo/

Rather than print the usual “denies the allegation” you should circle back with Gibney and ask him for proof. And ask him to explain why he would make such an accusation when Monique Rathbun’s testimony contradicts it.

If you ever want to know about Scientology, look at our website at www.Scientology.org. The information is right there. We are busy trying to help people. We spend every waking minute working to get people off drugs and assist them to lead healthier, happier more productive lives.

Contained within that statement are links to various hitjobs that Scientology has executed against the individuals that took part in Going Clear. If you watch closely, the Scientology hitjob videos will refer to the people in the light blue shirts as “documentary filmmakers.” However, these people are called “Squirrel Busters.” They are members of Scientology tasked with harassing and destroying the reputation of its defectors.

There have been threats of lawsuits, but nothing substantial against HBO and those who worked on Going Clear. Instead, Scientology relies on cheap hatchet jobs to make its critics look ridiculous and insane.